Dip a strip in glue,
pat it down, repeat.
Layer words upon phrases, upon
graphed pictures, upon headlines. Dip a strip in glue,
pat it down, repeat.

What was thin, made thickly sturdy.
Ordered, remade, brought forth
to rise above one dimensional flatness
of unfeeling paragraphs reported,
lacking a face to accompany the
heart pumping circumstances reported.

Dip a strip in glue,
pat it down, repeat.
Layer words upon phrases, upon
graphed pictures, upon headlines. Dip a strip in glue,
pat it down, repeat.
Brushed and smoothed, caressed into
three dimensional spatial existence.
More than hearts on sleeves of bystanders –
unmasked compassion as expression
on the face of humanity, personified.
Equality found in transformed perception.

Death happens in many forms. Whether face a physical death, an emotional death, or a spiritual death we must grieve and resurrect a new version of ourselves from the experience – whether it be here in this existence or in whatever comes next.

I’ve stood on the banks
of death and watched life
slip away, taken fast
on an unstoppable current –
broken flags waving surrender
to a darkening sky of eyes
closing for the last time.
Plentiful sunsets are taken
for granted in this world of
watered-down appreciation.
In last moments expelled breaths
hold all we have ever been –
air heavy with remnants of soul
searching for a place
to surface once again.

“Restless Inside” is a selection from my first book of poetry In Speaking Of…

Restless Inside

By Nikki Anne Schmutz

Restless inside…
as a piece of string with not a thing to bind
as a root of a bulb awaiting a frozen Winter’s thaw
as an unwound kite on a flat summer’s afternoon
as a bound umbrella waiting in the heavy stand at the door
as a shell taken up from its water, left to dry on a shelf
as a lock forgotten by years, hidden in layers of dust
as an ocean wave never able to hold the sand in its grasp
as a letter hidden in the crumbling wall of an old Victorian
as a gust of wind personified, exiled to the unseen realm
as a sail-less vessel docked in a cemented harbor
as an etched crystal vase in the cupboard longing for use
as a stream racing downhill when it wishes to climb
as a baby grand piano unplayed, covered with ages of dust
as a drawn curtain wanting to part, allowing rays to enter
as an hourglass wishing to be turned, spilling its sand once again
as a tear unable to escape the confines of its cause
as a heart awaiting to be claimed by its only love…
the now, the past, what is to be
restless for it all, restless to just be…

We all have our own “dragons” in our hearts. May this simple tale help us see more clearly a wise and compassionate way of dealing with them!

The Dragon and the Princess

“A traditional Swedish story gives a sense of the next phase of the journey within.

Because of the mishaps of her parents, a young princess named Aris must be betrothed to a fearful dragon. When the king and queen tell her she becomes frightened for her life. But recovering her wits, she goes out beyond the market to seek a wise woman, who has raised twelve children and twenty-nine grandchildren and knows the ways of dragons…

Social Media

The poetry of Nikki Anne Schmutz explores the journey we take inside ourselves, It is one that never ends; it leads to greater understanding, realizations gained only by aspiring to be more than we are in the present. There is great beauty to be found inside us all. Along the way we meet others who end up being vital parts of our growth, people we care for, people we love. Sometimes our connection with others brings us closer to deep understanding than anything else we experience.

Imagine what the world would be like if we could open a window to one another’s soul. What if we could look inside and glean all the information needed to truly understand each other as we help one another along through life? What kind of spiritual heights could we help one another achieve? Open your soul window…

‘In Speaking Of…’ is a collection of poetry inspired by the soul’s journey from dark to light. It takes raw emotion stemming from life’s darker moments and spins them into alchemical passages that expose truths we try to hide. Acceptance of ones’ inner self eventually leads to light, life, and happiness. ‘In Speaking Of…’ embraces the pain we feel in order to enhance the joyful moments we find within. Beauty amidst pain, light amidst darkness. Sometimes brutal yet still captivating, this collection of poems sends the reader into a journey of introspection and hopefully ends with the realization that life has more to offer than one ever thought possible.